VietNamNet Bridge – The Ministry of Industry and Communications (MoIC) has granted a licence to Indochina Telecom to set up a telecom network and provide mobile services using WiMax technology in Vietnam.
First ‘virtual’ mobile network gets license
Telecom giants streamline subscriber growth goals
Vietnam may have two more mobile virtual networks
With this licence, Indochina Telecom has become the 10th company licenced to test WiMax, besides VNPT, Viettel, VTC, FPT Telecom, CMC, EVN Telecom, and others.
WiMax is a telecommunications technology that provides fixed and fully mobile internet access. The current WiMAX revision provides up to 70 Mbps within a radius of 2-10km in cities and 50km in remote areas. Some companies experimentally provided WiMax service in some cities but until now, non of them have officially supplied this service.
Communications experts commented that it is not difficult to develop infrastructure for WiMax in Vietnam.
Before getting the WiMax licence, the Ministry of Information and Communications permitted Indochina Telecom to operate Vietnam’s first mobile virtual network operator (MVNO). This firm will share the 3G network with Viettel and roam with local mobile networks that employ GSM technology.
At the time of receiving the MVNO licence, Indochina Telecom planned to offer services in the first quarter of 2010, but the plan was delayed.
PV
